The G77 Geneva celebrates 50th anniversary with the launch of the Gamani Corea Forum

By Adriano José Timossi

A High Level Meeting of the Group of 77 and China to commemorate its fiftieth anniversary was held on 18  June 2014 at the Palais des Nations in Geneva. H.E. Mr. Bamanga Abbas Malloum, Ambassador, Permanent Representative of the Republic of Chad and Chairperson of the Geneva Chapter of the Group of 77 for 2014 opened the meeting noting that a half-century ago the founding fathers of the group met in Geneva with the noble ambition to change the world for the better. “They sought to remedy the wrongs of centuries and realize a world of fairness, justice, and equity, in which developing countries would take their rightful place among the ranks of the prosperous countries”. The Chair of the G77 and China said that for some members of the group, that dream came true. Others are on the threshold of success. Many others remain as they were 50 years ago. What has not changed is the undisputed fact that what unites developing countries is more than their individual level of development; this is their solidarity and commitment to bring prosperity for all.

Speaking on the new initiative of the group, the Gamani Corea Forum, Ambassador Malloum said that “a man who embodied the finest principles of the confident South that gave birth to our group and to our movement was Gamani Corea. His contributions to the cause are many, and it is fitting that we name in his honor our major initiative for the strengthening of the group.” The Gamani Corea forum, he said, is “a simple yet potentially powerful initiative to strengthen our group: it seeks to harness the experience and knowledge of former UNCTAD officials and diplomats  in order to enhance the capacity of the Geneva chapter”.

The Geneva Chapter also launched the G77 Geneva occasional paper series. The intention is to provide a platform for intellectual inputs from the South to be distributed to negotiators of the group. The Chair of the G77 Geneva Chapter invited all delegations to submit documents and other similar intellectual inputs they wish to share with other group members. Both initiatives will “greatly enrich the intellectual efforts of the group and indeed serve as a contribution to the finalization of the Geneva Platform on Development which we should finish by the end of this year,” he said.

Two key statements were made by Mr. Mukhisa Kituyi, Secretary-General of UNCTAD, and Mr. Martin Khor, Executive Director of the South Centre.

Mr. Mukhisa Kituyi stressed that fifty years ago, at the Palais des Nations, a group of nations came together with the firm determination to confront and tackle the problems faced by developing countries. This determination is part of the genesis of UNCTAD and the G77. He stressed that “our institutions have different mandates, but our DNA is similar and our history intertwined: half a century ago, both institutions were created for advancing the development process”. The group succeeded in becoming the “voice of developing nations”. Mr. Kituyi also said, “since its foundation the group has provided the means for your countries to articulate and promote your collective economic interests, enhancing your joint negotiating capacity on all major international economic issues”.

He congratulated the group for setting up the Gamani Corea Forum as it will serve as an important venue for a reflection of constant efforts of developing countries to find ways to address development challenges, and in particular, how to better harness international trade for development. “The choice of the Forum’s name reflects the interconnections between our institutions: Gamani Corea, a giant of development thinking, was a true champion of the South and was also an essential pillar in the foundations of UNCTAD”.

Mr. Martin Khor stated that fifty years ago the Group of 77 was formed with the goal to promote international economic equality and the interests of the developing world. He also said that the past fifty years have seen great success including initiating the New International Economic Order, the Right to Development, and advancing the cause of development in UNCTAD and many United Nations Conferences and Declarations. He welcomed the new initiative by the Geneva Chapter of the Group of 77 and China noting that it is “most fitting to establish the Gamani Corea Forum at this meeting as he was a great thinker, fighter and organizer for the developing world in all his capacities as delegate, UNCTAD Secretary-General and Chair of the South Centre”. Mr Khor concluded by wishing the G77 an “even greater success ahead in the many endeavors and battles for development in the world economy and for the developing world’s interests in the year ahead”.

Delegations from various member states took the floor to deliver statements to the commemorative meeting. H.E. Ambassador Rajab M. Sukayri, Permanent Representative of Jordan, spoke on behalf of the Asian Group, saying that it was impossible to address the history of the United Nations without understanding the impact of the Group of 77. Fifty years from the inception of the G77, he called upon its membership to continue to pursue their broader objectives and always remain focused on their core value of solidarity. “Despite the odds and despite the differences that may mark the individual members of the group, at the end of the day we unite and defend each other, and advance the collective interests of developing countries”. Speaking on the Gamani Corea Forum and its upcoming first session to be held in July he encouraged to “focus on how to recapture the spirit of ‘64 to better address the realities of today. We must recapture the spirit of UNCTAD as an institution with a broad transformative agenda for a profoundly noble objective: to reform the international economic system to bring prosperity for all.” He identified the post-2015 development agenda and the implementation of the Santa Cruz outcomes as two key issues to be addressed in the first Forum.

H.E. Mr. Nkopane Monyane of the Kingdom of Lesotho on behalf of the African Group commended the G77 members for the various achievements, principles and values they have systematically defended during these past 50 years, “especially the various endeavours aimed at vindicating the interests of the Group for years to come”.  Ambassador Monyane also said that the creation of the Group, on June 15, 1964 in Geneva at the end of UNCTAD I, remains a historic turning point in the multilateral system. “It allowed developing countries to establish a common platform to express its principal concerns and consensually defend the economic interests of developing countries. Through collective action, member countries as a whole have acquired the capacity to influence the content of international discussions. The Group was initially made up of 77 members but now stands at 133 members”.

“During its fifty years of commitment to development, the G77 and China has continued to expend efforts in the context of a rapidly changing global economy and the transformation of international economic relations. Faced with new challenges and the new opportunities lying ahead, much remains to be done. In fact, the G77 and China, has become a symbol of the unity of developing countries, has focused on mitigating the vulnerability of our countries, and empowering all towards a collective development. What is required, henceforth, is to strengthen our common will and individual commitments, commensurate with the expectations of our countries and our people, in favour of sustained economic growth and development of our respective regions.”

“Given that the celebration of the anniversary of the G77 coincides with the launch of the Gamani Corea Forum, the African Group stands ready to rise to the challenges and contribute to the success of this Forum especially as Africa engages in discussions on the “Agenda 2063” of the African Union where the continent should effectively learn from the lessons of the past, build on the progress now underway and strategically exploit all possible opportunities available in the immediate and medium term, so as to ensure positive socioeconomic transformation within the next 50 years”.

Ms. Merlana Henry, representative of Trinidad and Tobago, delivered the speech on behalf of the Latin American and Caribbean Group (GRULAC), and said that the establishment of the G77 and China in 1964 was a pivotal moment for multilateralism. “Countries of the South, notwithstanding their size, wealth and economic and social systems, combined their efforts to pursue their vision for a fair and equitable global economic system with development and improved social welfare of their citizens at the heart of their initiative”, she said. She also said that throughout its history the G77 and China has been a pillar of South-South solidarity and cooperation. Though there have been moments of divergence due to the Group’s diversity, through negotiation and cooperation, the Group has managed to maintain its solidarity and successfully functions as a unit bound by common objectives.

“With a strong partner in the UNCTAD Secretariat, the G77 and China lobbied for initiatives that addressed the key concerns of the South.  These included initiatives to address debt relief; negotiations on a code of conduct for the transfer of technology; the launch of the Generalized System of Trade Preferences; and, of key importance, negotiations on the Declaration on the New International Economic Order. All these are crucial issues promoted by Dr. Gamani Corea, author of the first declaration of the Group of 77 and UNCTAD’s third Secretary-General”.

The representative of GRULAC also reiterated that over the years the G77 and China has expanded beyond the focus on trade to include, among others, issues such as global governance, migration, climate change, intellectual property, and access to knowledge. The Group’s ability to negotiate on these issues was strengthened with the establishment of the South Centre, think thank for the South, in 1995.  The South Centre, guided by its two principles – South unity in diversity and South progress through cooperation, provides sound policy advice to the G77 on a range of major development related issues.

She noted that the Post-2015 agenda is another key issue upon which we should reflect as a Group: what value-addition could be derived from the post-2015 agenda? How can South-South solidarity and cooperation be enhanced to influence the implementation of the sustainable development goals?

Mr. Jesus Domingo, Assistant Secretary of the Office of the United Nations and other International Organizations, Department of Foreign Affairs of the Philippines, the upcoming Chair of the Group of 77 and China Geneva Chapter in 2015 welcomed the initiative to create an intellectual space for further strengthening the intellectual capacity of the Group at this important and historic time. “The cumulative outcome of this work would form the basis of our substantive preparations for UNCTAD XIV, which begin in earnest next year with the elaboration of the theme and sub-themes of the conference”.

His Excellency Mr. Séraphin Lissassi, Ambassador Extraordinary and Plenipotentiary, Permanent Representative of Benin spoke on behalf of the LDC Group, and reaffirmed support of his group and said the meeting was an opportunity not only to revisit the past actions of the Group of 77 and China but also to look forward to medium and long term deadlines such as the conclusion of the Doha Round, the Sustainable Development and Post-2015 Agenda, preparations for UNCTAD XIV, the preparative process for the Third International Conference on Financing for Development and the climate conference.

H.E. Mr. Raul Silvero, Deputy Permanent Representative of Paraguay, on behalf of the Group of Landlocked Developing Countries (LLDCs), stressed the need for a comprehensive agenda, more than a sectorial one. The LLDCs need to develop productive capacity to trade and participate more actively in the international market, not only with commodities but with value-added goods. “We still need huge investment flows to establish transport links and improve them as well in a regional cooperation scheme, including matters related to border trade. We ask for the continued G77 and China support and understanding in the development challenges and difficulties faced by the LLDCs.”

H.E. Ms. Angélica Navarro Llanos, Ambassador, Permanent Representative of the Plurinational State of Bolivia, host country of the G77 Summit, which celebrated the 50^th anniversary of the group, reiterated the words of President Evo Morales at the Santa Cruz Summit of the G77 where he said that “50 years ago, great leaders raised the flags of the anti-colonial struggle and decided to march with their people down the path of sovereignty and independence…” In this context, she said, on the 15th of June 1964, at the conclusion of the United Nations Conference on Trade and Development, 77 countries of the South met to improve their trade negotiations capacity, forming a group of countries aiming to promote their collective interests and respecting their sovereign decisions.  However, despite all the efforts and struggles for equality and justice of people around the world, hierarchies and planetary inequalities have increased. But this unfair concentration of wealth, this predatory way to destroy nature, is also generating a structural crisis that is becoming untenable in time. It is becoming a structural crisis, because it affects all components of the development of capitalism itself. This means that it is a crisis of finance, energy, climate, water, food, institutions and values, several crises which are linked to each other.

Ambassador Navarro Llanos also said, “We have reached a limit and we must take urgent action to save society, humanity and Mother Earth. We need to build a different view than that of Western capitalist development, and move from the paradigm of sustainable development to the paradigm of Integral Development for Living Well, which seeks not only the balance between human beings, but the balance and harmony with our Mother Earth.” In this regard, she suggested the following tasks to build the live-well society: To move from sustainable development to a holistic development for living well, in harmony and balance with Mother Earth; Sovereignty over natural resources and strategic areas; Welfare for all including basic services as a human right; The emancipation of the current international financial system and building a new financial architecture; Build a reinforced economic, scientific, technological and cultural partnership of the G77 + China; Eradicate hunger in the world; Strengthen the sovereignty of states without intervention, interference or espionage; The democratic renewal of States; and A new world from the South for all mankind. “Today another world is necessary because otherwise there will be no possible world (at all). And this other world of equality, complementarity, and holistic coexistence with Mother Earth, can only arise from the thousand languages, the thousand colors, and the thousand cultures of the peoples of the South.”

The representative of the Islamic Republic of Iran, the Chair of the Non-Aligned Movement said that the global economic crisis is a great economic challenge which has been compounded by long-standing and emerging challenges such as food security, underdevelopment, climate change, and more, which should all be addressed in a holistic manner and be tackled through concerted efforts. He also said that “despite challenges we were faced with in recent years, we also witnessed successes. These successes were a result of the cohesion and unity of the Group. Our unity, solidarity and collective efforts should remain as the guiding principles in promoting our common interests”.

H.E. Mrs. Rebeca Sanchez Bello, Deputy Permanent Representative of the Bolivarian Republic of Venezuela, upcoming Chair of the Non-Aligned Movement in 2015 said that over the past 50 years, the G77 has promoted resolutions at the United Nations and embarked on shared actions in favor of development underpinned by South-South cooperation, a new world economic order, a responsibility for climate change and economic relations based on preferential treatment. She emphasized the need to build on these foundations and continue to make progress towards a world order that is just, equitable, stable and peaceful. In other words: a New World Order for living well.

“Today, the G77 represents the greatest coalition of humanity and remains a vital negotiating instrument in economic multilateral diplomacy, as well as in ensuring peace and justice through international cooperation for development within the framework of the United Nations. This has been the thrust of the joint expression of South-South solidarity since the Group’s creation, and its collective voice has spread to every institution and international organization representing the hopes and aspirations of the majority of the world’s population”.

Sanchez Bello noted that despite five decades of achievements in the struggle for equality and justice for the peoples around the world, there are still serious shortfalls in the fulfilling of our Group’s objectives. Indeed, there is much progress still to be made in many of our countries in meeting the needs of our people.

“These ongoing and emerging challenges must be overcome within the framework of South-South and North-South cooperation. The G77 has an important role to play in the years to come, notably through the promotion and implementation of its noble ideas, which are multilateralism, and not bilateralism; peace and not conflict; law as the basis for international relations; and trade and finance at the service of humankind and not just a powerful minority, are the values on which we must find a consensus if we are to reach a world that is stable, just and peaceful.”

H.E. Ambassador WU Hailong, Ambassador Extraordinary and Plenipotentiary, Permanent Representative of China said that 50 years ago, the Group of 77 was born in Geneva at the first United Nations Conference on Trade and Development with the mandate of establishing a more fair and equitable international order and promoting the collective interests of the developing world. Since then the Group has been striving to speak with one voice in the international arena and fighting strenuously for the legitimate rights of its members. It has burgeoned into a banner of unity and cooperation among developing countries.

“Over the past 50 years, the world has undergone profound and complex changes. As economic globalization gathers pace, deep changes are brewing in the international system. Many developing countries have embarked on the fast track of development, the international balance of power is moving towards greater equilibrium, and the representation and voice of developing countries in global governance have been raised”.

“Developing countries should pool their efforts to strengthen coordination to maintain unity as a Group. In the face of the new developments in North-South relations, developing countries should be on guard against any attempt of sowing discord among us. We have to seek common ground while reserving differences, come to each other’s support readily, and defend our interests better, through a further strengthened G77 +China mechanism. We should work together to be more vocal and effective in the global debate on development, enhance South-South cooperation, in order to shape globalization in a more balanced, inclusive and mutually beneficial manner”.

“As we are moving towards the post-2015 development agenda, it is time to renew past glory of the Group and to revitalize international development cooperation, building on past achievements to make new progress. As a member of the developing world, China shares a common destiny as well as the same aspiration and vision with other developing countries. China values the G77+China mechanism, and we will further strengthen cooperation with other developing countries so as to help them achieve faster development”.

Adriano José Timossi is Programme Officer of the Global Governance for Development Programme (GGDP) of the South Centre.